Overflow placement

Smorgeron

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So right now I don't have a tank yet. I'm looking into getting a 75 gallon set up with a 20 or 30 gallon sump. I will be building a custom stand and canopy for this. Does anyone know or have experience with having the overflow and return mounted on the side of the tank instead of the back? I'm wanting to build a side box on the side of the aquarium to hide the plumbing and to have very little space between the tank and wall. Thanks for your help.
 
Welcome to R2R!
It should work, are you talking the overflow on one end and the return on the other, or the overflow and return on the same end? Essentially it would be set up like a peninsula style tank at that point.
My best advice is to double and triple check that the tank can be drilled. The aqueon 75 gallons are notorious for using tempered glass where it says it's regular.
 
Haven't thought about doing it on both ends. What do you mean by peninsula style? I am new to saltwater aquariums but I'm not just going to jump into it. From what I've read I'm going to stay away from aqueon tanks. A lot of reviews stating that the tanks leak and it's hit or miss whether or not they use tempered glass. It is a shame cause I can get one for around $90.
 
Haven't thought about doing it on both ends. What do you mean by peninsula style? I am new to saltwater aquariums but I'm not just going to jump into it. From what I've read I'm going to stay away from aqueon tanks. A lot of reviews stating that the tanks leak and it's hit or miss whether or not they use tempered glass. It is a shame cause I can get one for around $90.
Peninsula style means that the tank is a tank that can be viewed from the front, back and one end. Sort of sticks out into the room like an island. Aqueon tanks can be great. Both of my tanks have been aqueon. I had a 40 breeder that I drilled and ran, and now i'm running a reef ready 75. No issues :)
 
I don't know why it would matter. Your wavemakers will provide the bulk of the water movement within the tank. Very little is due to the return, at least in my case.

If size is of concern, look into making your own overflow out of PVC. There are several YouTube videos showing exactly how to do it. Here's mine:

IMG_20190827_184825702.jpg


All it took was a few dollars worth of PVC and an afternoon of experimentation to see how small I could get it and have it still work. In 6 months it has never lost prime and it is completely silent.
 
Interesting. I have thought about a hob overflow. I've never drilled glass before but the process looks simple enough however I am trying to go as cheap as I can. Thanks
 
Interesting. I have thought about a hob overflow. I've never drilled glass before but the process looks simple enough however I am trying to go as cheap as I can. Thanks
In my opinion, long term, drilled is better. Hang on backs always have the risk of breaking siphon and flooding your room.
Most hang on back overflows are only single drain as well, so you have the noise issue to deal with as well. There are setups to quiet them down, but something like the Eshopps Eclipse M or L would be a great option for you, assuming the tank can in fact be drilled.
 
Dumb question. In order for the siphon to break that would mean the water level went past the overflow. Shouldn't that be something I see before it happens so I can top off the water?
 
Dumb question. In order for the siphon to break that would mean the water level went past the overflow. Shouldn't that be something I see before it happens so I can top off the water?
Siphon break can happen for any number of reasons. Air trapped in the siphon tube is the most common. Clogged is another reason. Fish jumps into siphon box and clogs tube ect....Most drilled setups run two drain lines, one primary and one emergency. If the primary becomes clogged for any of the above reasons, the emergency takes over and handles the extra flow. Or such as the Bean Animal setup, it uses a primary drain, secondairy drain, and an emergency drain for added protection.
 
This should fit your 75. Most 75's are 18" wide
 

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